Perceptions, challenges, and opportunities in the development of the Tshivenda scientific register for physical sciences

In this article we examine the experiences in the development of a Tshivenda scientific register (TSR) for Grade 10 physical sciences (PS) teaching and learning in the Vhembe West district, Limpopo province, South Africa. The study reported on here was an interpretative qualitative study in which physical sciences teachers and senior citizens participated. Data were generated from the participants through face-to-face semi-structured interviews and diary entries. The findings show numerous challenges in the development of a TSR for physical sciences, including a lack of Tshivenda scientific terms and the absence of Tshivenda physical sciences textbooks, which can have an impact on teachers and learners’ ability to implement a TSR in the teaching and learning of physical sciences. Moreover, the findings also show that the physical sciences teachers and senior citizens who participated in the study sometimes adopted English and Afrikaans scientific words for which no equivalents existed in Tshivenda. We, therefore, suggested that these challenges in the development of a TSR for physical sciences teaching are addressed so that teachers can teach learners physical sciences through the language that they know best. By so doing, learners will have the opportunity to receive their physical sciences education through the language they are familiar with. Additionally, we suggest that physical science teachers must be developed, trained and furnished with essential language skills to develop a scientific Tshivenda language register on other science topics.